| BEIJING - U.S. Ambassador to China Joseph Prueher said Wednesday recent
tension across the Taiwan Strait was not a precursor to war and labeled jitters that
rocked Taiwanese stock prices ''a bit of an overstatement.'' In a press conference,
Prueher downplayed recent war jitters, including reports from a Taiwan military spokesman
Tuesday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) had intensified military maneuvers near
Taiwan.
''My own view...is that the threat of war is a bit of an overstatement on this issue
right now,'' Prueher was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.
Prueher called for ''creative ideas'' from China and Taiwan. He said Chinese
authorities are ''uncertain'' on what the new Taiwan government might do.
On Tuesday, a spokesman for Taiwan's Defense Ministry said China's military has been
stepping up military drills along the coast opposite Taiwan in what could be a prelude to
a large-scale campaign of intimidation ahead of the May 20 inauguration of Taiwan
President-elect Chen Shui-bian.
On Wednesday, Taiwan's stock market tumbled 4.32% on reports of stepped-up PLA
maneuvers.
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